Most of us have given at least a passing thought to the idea of getting married. Sure, it’s not for everyone, and there are definitely people who shouldn’t get married – at least, not to each other.

Often, the signs that you’re with “the right person” for you are super obvious: You both think that the other is completely out-of-this-world, even after a few years of “cooling off” time. But some of the signs that you should probably marry your partner aren’t so easy to spot.

In fact, the idea of marriage stems from a lot of smaller, seemingly insignificant personality traits and values. How many of these signs do you see in your relationship?

1. You both sleep toward the middle of the bed.

According to a recent survey, couples who sleep less than an inch away from each other are more likely to have a happy, lasting relationship, as compared to those who sleep on opposite sides of the bed. There’s also a connection with sleep-cuddling and the bonding hormone oxytocin, so spooning with your partner is a pretty good sign that you two have a close bond.

2. You thank each other often.

Research shows that gratitude greatly increases your overall happiness – and in the context of your romantic relationships, saying “thank you” might be just as important as saying “I love you”. Many relationships fail (or at least falter) because one partner feels unappreciated, so making the extra effort to let your partner know you’re grateful for her can help prevent problems before they start.

3. You are both healthy and upbeat.

A positive attitude and healthy habits can keep a relationship running smoothly, according to a recent study. Thankfully, if one of you isn’t feeling the positive vibes, it’s never too late to change your outlook on life. It takes a bit of work in the beginning, but creating healthy and positive habits gives you lifelong benefits in almost all areas of your life.

4. You have similar speech patterns.

Your word choice might seem like a completely irrelevant factor in determining your compatibility, but this is one of the many areas of compatibility. Recent research shows that using the same function words (prepositions, pronouns, quantifiers, and conjunctions) as your partner increases the likelihood that you’re going to stay together – and mimicking the speaking habits of a person you’re interested in ups the chances that you’ll get together in the first place.

5. You make out with each other on the regular.

Ok, so this one isn’t so subtle – but lots of kissing is connected with more relationship happiness and satisfaction. It’s not really clear which is the cause and which is the effect, but either way, it’s a good excuse to kiss and make out on a daily basis.

6. You two hang out with your couple-friends.

Double dates help build stronger bonds, according to a recent study – so find another couple or two, and make a weekly date night together. Of course, in order for this to work, the other couple has to be a happy, healthy couple too – but, statistically speaking, couples who double-date with other couples are usually happier when it’s just the two of them, too.

7. You watch chick flicks together.

According to research, cuddling up to a romantic movie on a regular basis (and then talking about the movie afterwards) strengthens your bond as a couple. It gives a no-stress way to communicate the things that your relationship is lacking, as well as the things you really appreciate, and it actually makes you less likely to break up within the next three years – so keeping it a regular habit helps keep the benefits going.

8. Your intuition tells you only good things.

A recent study found that your gut feelings are a better indicator of your satisfaction than your self-reported feelings. If your gut feels pretty good, chances are your relationship is pretty good. Listen to your intuition – it’s there for a reason!

9. You have sex on a regular basis.

What constitutes “regular” may be different from couple to couple, but having sex regularly leads to long, happy marriages, and better overall happiness, too. The “type” of sex doesn’t really matter here – just as long as you’re getting it on as often as you’d like.

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Barbara is a 26-year-old lesbian living in California with her partner (and their “fur babies” - an adorably chubby puppy named Porkchop and a ball python named Ru). In the spare time she pretends to have, she enjoys horror movies, music of all varieties, reading, and complaining about the weather.